Description:
Knife and two-tined or pronged fork with pistol-grip-shaped, press molded agateware handles in a blue/green and red/brown abstract marbelized swirl pattern on a cream background; silver mounts; and steel blade and tines. The knife has a narrow, scimitar blade (bulbous, upswept tip) stamped "LAMPREY," for the Sheffield cutlery manufacturer, John Hinchcliffe, Gibraltar [St.?]. Smaller-sized knives and forks were used for eating dessert. Agateware cutlery handles, which are formed by wedging together different colored earthenware clays, are found both with solid clay core and marbled clay overlay, and were also produced in marbled clay throughout. These handles attempt to simulate the appearance of more expensive agate stone in pottery. As well as in pottery, 18th-century handles for knives and forks were made in a broad range of materials, including metal, stone, bone, or horn. Typically, spoons were purchased separately and made entirely of metal. English salt-glazed stoneware and lead-glazed agateware cutlery handles survive in somewhat greater numbers than do creamware types. Hard and soft-paste porcelain versions variously were made in China, on the European continent, and in England. Several 18th-century documents record ceramic handles. The account and memorandum books for Thomas Whieldon's Fenton Vivian Factory include a Nov. 7, 1749, entry for the sale of "32 desert handles" to a Mrs. Broad and presumably refers to handles for dessert knives and forks. Simeon Shaw stated in his 1829 "History of the Staffordshire Potteries" that Whieldon supplies "knife hafts, for Sheffield cutlers." Supporting this are agateware knife and fork handles that were excavated at the Fenton Vivian site. A November 29, 1765 entry in the sales account books of Thomas and John Wedgwood, of the Big House, Burslem, credits the account of "Cousin Josia Wedgwood" with "Knife handles and a set of Red printed Tea and c." valued at seven shillings, six and a half pence. The ceramic-handled cutlery market extended to America as well as evidenced by the 1770 inventory taken at the Williamsburg palace of Gov. Botetourt, the last Royal Governor of Virginia. Listed in his Butler's pantry are: "5 Green handle carving knives and forks and 1 ditto white china handle 1 Case containing 1 doz Knives and 1 doz Forks with China Handles." The 1771 estate inventory of Anthony Hay, one time keeper of Williamsburg's Raleigh Tavern, includes entries for "1 Walnut Knife Box" and "63 White Handle Knifes....do Forks." These handles could have been made in stoneware, earthenware, porcelain, or bone. Specialising in making blades, cutlers trained as apprentices for up to seven years, working for a freeman cutler who housed and fed them. In England a cutler would have to prove himself as bladesmith and hafter (maker of handles) in order to obtain the freedom of the Worshipful Company of Cutlers, gain his own mark and set up his own business. Many cutlers acted as middlemen who bought blades from bladesmiths, handles from hafters and sheaths from sheathers. They assembled the cutlery themselves and sold them under their own names. Until the 17th century, it was the custom for guests to bring their personal cutlery, but by the 18th century knives and forks were provided in matching sets by the host. The basic form of knives and forks had also become standardised by this date. By the mid-18th century, table knives and forks were usually made in sets and decorated to match the rest of the cutlery. By the end of the 18th century the standard pistol-shaped haft (handle) gave way to straighter, flat-ended hafts; forks generally had smaller hafts. The knife blade is usually of sabre, or scimitar, shape. The steel blades and shanks have a 'tang' or rod at the base that fits into the hollow handle, which is then packed with resin. The junction between haft and blade is fitted with a small metal collar, or 'ferrule.' See also matching knife and fork by Hinchcliffe, HD 61.090.
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https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+60.189 |
